ation of the Californians
Arrive at Los Angeles
General reflections upon the march
Meet with old acquaintances.

The battalion remained encamped at Santa Barbara, from the 27th of
December to the 3rd of January, 1847. The U.S. flag was raised in the
public square of the town the day after our arrival.

The town of Santa Barbara is beautifully situated for the picturesque,
about one mile from the shore of a roadstead, which affords anchorage
for vessels of any size, and a landing for boats in calm weather.
During stormy weather, or the prevalence of strong winds from the
south-east, vessels, for safety, are compelled to stand out to sea. A
fertile plain extends some twenty or thirty miles up and down the
coast, varying in breadth from two to ten miles, and bounded on the
east by a range of high mountains. The population of the town I should
judge, from the number of houses, to be about 1200 souls. Most of the
houses are constructed of adobes, in the usual architectural style of
Mexican buildings. Some of them, however, are more Americanized, and
have some pretensions to tasteful architecture, and comfortable and
convenient interior arrangement. Its commerce, I presume, is limited to
the export of hides and tallow produced upon the surrounding plain; and
the commodities received in exchange for these from the traders on the
coast. Doubtless, new and yet undeveloped sources of wealth will be
discovered hereafter that will render this town of much greater
importance than it is at present.

On the coast, a few miles above Santa Barbara, there are, I have been
told, immense quantities of pure bitumen or mineral tar, which, rising
in the ocean, has been thrown upon the shore by the waves, where in a
concrete state, like resin, it has accumulated in inexhaustible masses.
There are, doubtless, many valuable minerals in the neighbouring
mountains, which, when developed by enterprise, will add greatly to the
wealth and importance of the town. For intelligence, refinement, and
civilization, the population, it is said, will compare advantageously
with any in California. Some old and influential Spanish families are
residents of this place; but their _casas_, with the exception of that
of Senor Don Jose Noriega, the largest house in the place, are now
closed and deserted. Senor N. is one of the oldest and most respectable
citizens of California, having filled the highest offices in the
government of the country. One of hi